Recession takes toll on U.S. love lives

The recession is breaking America’s hearts as much as its wallets, according to a survey released Monday by Canadian bank ING Direct.

The survey said the current economic doldrums are splitting up and straining more marriages and relationships in America than in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Austria.

For example, almost three in 10 Americans (29 percent) say the recession has "added stress to," "strained," or even "ruined" their marriage/relationship. American love lives have been the hardest hit compared to just 12 percent in Germany, 24 percent in France and 23 percent in Canada.

"Whether it's at home, in the boardroom or in the car showroom, people around the globe are affected by the recession," said Arkadi Kuhlmann, president of ING Direct USA, in a news release. "The long-term benefit is that people are cutting costs, saving more money, and learning to build a financial buffer for their future. Clearly, some of these global trends need to become a habit."

The survey also found:

46 percent of Americans avoid credit card purchases to save money.

51 percent of Americans cook at home and/or bring lunch to work to save money.

40 percent of Americans say the current economic situation will cause them to retire at a later age.

30 percent of Americans would give up their cars to save money.

35 percent of Americans believe having a financial buffer in case of emergency is the most important saving goal.

16 percent of Americans think retirement is the most important saving goal.